The most radical member of Facebook’s new Oversight Board just showed herself to be even more unhinged than many feared.
Tawakkol Karman, a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood, announced in a June 7 tweet amidst international destructive protests that she is “standing with the revolutions!” The Muslim Brotherhood has many divisions involved in nefarious activities. One of the Brotherhood’s many divisions is Hamas, the terrorist organization that attacks Israel. The Facebook Oversight Board announced Karman as a member on May 6 and has been heavily criticized for it.
“Yes, I am fully standing with the revolutions!” Karman, a Yemeni activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, proclaimed. “This was my position Yesterday, and it is today and will be even tomorrow!” she continued. She concluded by stating “Not only in Yemen or across the Arab region but also globally. I am with the inevitably upcoming global spring.”
Karman also retweeted a video of protestors chanting “No justice, no peace!” as they marched on June 4.
This is the same Karman who stated in 2013, “The Muslim Brotherhood and its supporters, who oppose the military rule, are engaged in a legendary struggle, which they are waging with their blood, their resolute steadfastness, and their belief that they will restore the revolution to its true path."
When an anchor asked her if she was “politically and ideologically partial to them,” Karman replied: “You can hear it from me: Yes, at this stage, I am partial toward the Muslim Brotherhood, toward the coalition that rejects the coup against legitimacy, and toward all the Egyptian youths who oppose the coup against democracy, and against the January (2011) revolution. I will not remain neutral in this battle. This is my battle.”
The Heritage Foundation weighed in: “[T]he Brotherhood has historically proven to be a hugely malignant force.” The founder of the group, according to The Heritage Foundation, “believed that an Islamic caliphate had to be restored and an unpolluted version of Sharia law implemented if Islam was to be revived in the face of Western secularism.”
On June 3, she tweeted a rough sketch of how she suggests plans the Facebook Oversight Board will be run:
“We will not shy away from difficult decisions and intend to act without looking at the economic, political or reputation interests of Facebook. We are not here to defend Facebook, but to hold the company accountable for its content decisions.”
The Facebook Oversight Board will make rulings on what content will be allowed on the platform.
MRC TechWatch's Senior Analyst Corinne Weaver contributed to this report.
